


Connections

by chaoticmelody



Category: Chihayafuru
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-01
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-23 12:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2547971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticmelody/pseuds/chaoticmelody
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi's relationship is a little different from other people's. But the three of them all love each other, and of course, they all love karuta.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Connections

**Author's Note:**

  * For [100demons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/100demons/gifts).



> Hello 100demons! It was really fun to be able to write these characters together for you! I love your prompt, and I love the idea of them as an OT3! I tried to incorporate as many of your ideas as possible, and I hope you enjoy it! I also tried to keep things as G-rated as possible, with a few hints of romance etc. at the end, so I hope it's okay. Thank you so much for letting me write this. I hope you enjoy reading it and much as I did writing it.

The final note of the poem trailed into the air as Taichi’s hands stirred the cards. They clacked softly up against each other, and Chihaya’s ears strained as he pulled one from the box and opened his mouth to speak.

“ _Fu-“_

Her hand reaches out, swift and steady, making a beeline for the card.

_“-kukara ni...”_

The card whipped past her head, slamming into the wall behind her. Taichi paused, and examined the ground in front of her.

“Looks like Arata wins. That means you have to do the dishes tonight.”

Chihaya groaned and began to gather up the remaining cards.  “I almost had you. Just one second faster…”

Arata grinned slightly and started to help. “If it makes you feel any better, I could do the dishes tonight if you want. It’s really no trouble.”

“What are you talking about? I said I’d do them if I lost, so I will! Fair is fair!”  Chihaya said indignantly. Both boys looked at each other and started to laugh.

“Determined as ever, huh.” Taichi stretched and headed toward their small kitchen. “What do you feel like for dinner? I was probably just going to make a simple stir fry, but if you want something else, I’m up for it.”

Arata shook his head. “That sounds fine to me. I know you have to study for your exams, so you really don’t have to go all out.”

Chihaya chimed in brightly. “Thanks so much for cooking, Taichi! I’ll make it up to you later!” Taichi blushed violently and waved her off, mumbling something in an embarrassed tone under his breath. The cards safely gathered and put away, Chihaya leaned back against Arata, and he fumbled around with the remote for a minute before hitting play.

The small tv flickered to life, displaying a recording of last year’s queen match. Chihaya stared at the screen, absorbing in every second of the match. Shinobu moved with grace and ruthless efficiency, striking fast and proving exactly why she was called “Queen.”

“That’s going to be me this time,” Chihaya proclaimed, and Arata nodded thoughtfully.

“You still have a ways to go though. But you have been practicing a lot.” There was a rattle from the kitchen, and Taichi walked out balancing plates of food.   
“Seriously, you started without me?” He grumbled.

“Don’t you have an exam to study for tomorrow?” Arata asked while Chihaya happily accepted the offered food.

“Yeah, but it’s mostly material I know. I’ve been studying a lot recently too. Not that the two of you have let me get much peace and quiet for it.” He nudged the two of them apart and settled in between them.

The screen flickered and the soft hum of the poems filled the silence as the three of them concentrated on the match and the food.

“It’s a pity about last year. I really do think you could have made it to the Queen’s match if it hadn’t been for that stroke of bad luck,” Taichi remarked. Chihaya shrugged and put her chopsticks down for a second.

“I just need to work harder this year. If I do that, I know I’ll make it!” She grinned at them, her smile lighting up the entire room. “Besides, I have both of you helping me train, so that means I’m getting extra strong!

Arata snorted and continued to eat. “You’re ridiculous, Chihaya.” Her energy was infectious though, and the three of them relaxed, leaning against each other, intertwining limbs together as they picked apart the match in front of them.

Chihaya gathered up the plates and brought them into the kitchen for washing up. Taichi spread his books out over the table in an attempt to cram in a little more study time in before his exam. Arata slid into the chair next to him.

“Want me to quiz you?” Taichi shook his head and pushed his books away.

“I think I might just go to bed. I don’t think I could possibly get anything else from this.” He sighed and pushed his hair away from his face. “I thought high school was tough, but college is a whole different animal.”

Chihaya’s arms were already wrapping around him in a warm hug, flinging soap suds all over him and the table.

“You should take a break then! Working hard is important, but you should have fun too. It’s not like your mom is here to lecture you anymore.”

“Don’t remind me, I have to call her tomorrow and let her know I’m still alive. And great, you’re splashing water all over my notes.” Chihaya leapt back in shock as Taichi and Arata scrambled to save the notes.

“Yeah, let’s just go to bed. It’s clear that we really aren’t focusing on anything now.”

They stumbled, tired but still laughing, into their shared bedroom. They snuggled under the blankets, climbing on top of each other and pressing quick little kisses into their cheeks. Maybe what they had together was a little out of the ordinary, but it didn’t matter to them. They shared a connection between the three of them and if people thought it was weird, who cared?

Chihaya wrapped herself close to her two boys. They responded to her touch, inching closer until the three of them were curled around each other, pressed against her sides as if they were attached.

“I love you.” She mumbled happily. “I want to stay with you two. And I want to keep playing karuta with you, forever.”

A small smile spread across Taichi’s face . “Leave it to you to ruin a moment with your crazy karuta obsession.”

Arata spoke up, saying the words that were all on their minds.  “Of course. Of course we’ll play karuta together.”

Karuta had brought them together in the most unlikely of ways. It connected Chihaya to Arata, Arata to Taichi, and Taichi back to Chihaya. Forever was an awfully long time, but none of them could imagine a life without karuta, and the inseparable bond it had given them. And none of them ever wanted to let go of that.

The three of them snuggled even closer. They’d play again tomorrow.  


End file.
